Method and apparatus for reducing power consumption in digital living network alliance network

Abstract

A method and apparatus for reducing power consumption in a DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) network is provided. A method for operating a digital media renderer to reduce power consumption in a DLNA network includes receiving media content from a digital media server, and controlling the power of a communication connection device and a display according to the control state of the received media content.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for operating a digital media renderer to reduce power consumption in a Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) network, the method comprising:
 receiving media content from a digital media server via a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN); 
 establishing a control state based on the received media content; 
 controlling the power of at least one of a communication connection device and a display according to the control state of the received media content; 
 determining whether a buffering operation is in progress; 
 determining whether the digital media renderer also performs functions of a digital media player; 
 transitioning the WLAN, when it has been determined that a buffering operation is not in progress and that the digital media player functions are not performed by the digital media renderer, to a power save mode; and 
 disconnecting the WLAN, when it has been determined that a buffering operation is not in progress and that the digital media player functions are performed by the digital media renderer, 
 wherein the digital media renderer comprises the communication connection device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 disconnecting the power of the communication connection device after completion of buffering of the received media content. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transitioning the communication connection device to a power save mode after completion of buffering of the received media content. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the display comprises one of a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), a Light Emitting Diode (LED), and a Plasma Display Panel (PDP). 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein if the received media content comprises slide content, the power of the communication connection device is disconnected after all of the slide content is received. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein the establishing of the control state based on received media content comprises:
 determining whether an operation state is a pause state, a play state, or a stop state. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 turning on the display, when a play state has been determined as the operation state; 
 turning off the display, when a stop state has been determined as the operation state; and 
 dimming the display, when a pause state has been determined as the operation state, and has persisted for a predetermined amount of time. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 proceeding to a corresponding mode when the operation state has been determined as the stop state; and 
 waiting for a control signal from the digital media controller. 
 
     
     
       9. A method for operating a digital media server to reduce power consumption in a Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) network, the method comprising:
 determining whether there is a user operation; 
 determining whether a digital media renderer or a digital media player is in a connection state with a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN); 
 notifying the user of the WLAN state when it is determined that the digital media renderer or the digital media player is not in a connection state with the WLAN; and 
 terminating the connection if the digital media renderer or the digital media player is not in the connection state or if there is no command from the digital media renderer or the digital media player for a predetermined time, 
 wherein the digital media server turns off a display when there is no user operation. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the notifying the user of the WLAN state comprises displaying a pop-up window to the user. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the display connected to the digital media server is turned off regardless of the state of the digital media renderer or the digital media player. 
     
     
       12. A method for operating a digital media server to reduce power consumption in a Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) network, the method comprising:
 determining whether at least one digital media renderer or digital media player are in a connection state; 
 notifying a user of the connection state of the at least one digital media renderer or the digital media player if at least one digital media renderer or digital media player is not in the connection state; 
 transmitting digital media content, via a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), to the digital media renderer or the digital media player; and 
 transitioning the WLAN to power save mode when the digital media content transmission is complete. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 disconnecting the power of the communication connection device after displaying a pop-up window to a user when the communication connection device of the digital media server is disconnected. 
 
     
     
       14. A method for reducing power consumption in a Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) network, the method comprising:
 controlling the power of a display according to a control state of media content received from a digital media server; 
 disconnecting the power of a communication connection device after completion of buffering the received media content when the communication connection device performs the functions of a digital media player; 
 converting the communication connection device to a power save mode after completion of buffering the received media content when the communication connection device does not perform functions of a digital media player; and 
 disconnecting the power of the communication connection device after displaying a pop-up window to a user, when the communication connection device is disconnected from the DLNA network. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the controlling of the power of the display according to the control state of media content received from a digital media server comprises:
 turning on the display when playing the received media content; 
 turning off the display when stopping the playing of the received media content; and 
 dimming the display when pausing the received media content. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , wherein if the received media content comprises slide content, the method plays the slide content and disconnects the power of the communication connection device after all the slide content is received. 
     
     
       17. A system for reducing power consumption in a Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) network, the system comprising:
 a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN); 
 a digital media renderer for controlling the power of a display according to a control state of media content received from a digital media server, for disconnecting the power of a communication connection device or converting the communication connection device to a power save mode after completion of buffering the received media content, and for interrupting the power of the communication connection device after displaying a pop-up window to a user when the communication connection device is disconnected from the WLAN; and 
 a digital media server for determining whether the digital media renderer is in a connection state with the WLAN, for terminating the connection if the digital media renderer is not in the connection state, for determining whether there is a user operation of the digital media renderer, and for turning off a connected display when there is no determined user operation. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 17 , wherein when the communication connection device is connected, the digital media server interrupts the power of the communication connection device after displaying a pop-up window to a user. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 17 , wherein the digital media server turns off the display connected to the digital media server, regardless of the state of the digital media renderer.